IMPORTANT UPDATE: Effective 1 October 2025, SBIR/STTR program authorization has expired. New activity is paused; ongoing awards remain valid. Awardees are encouraged to contact their TPOCs and contracting officers with questions regarding active awards.
The Department of the Air Force (DAF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are the funding vehicles used to contract with small businesses for research and development. The STTR program, specifically, requires a formal collaboration with a U.S. research institution. AFWERX is the sole organization within the DAF that manages and executes these programs. In short, AFWERX uses DAF SBIR/STTR as a primary tool to achieve its mission of accelerating innovation and bringing commercial technology to the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force.